CARLTON has produced the best response possible in Perth, recording its biggest win since 2011 with a 108-point triumph over West Coast.

Leading from siren to siren, the Blues were spearheaded by a brilliant Charlie Curnow, with the reigning Coleman Medallist producing a career-best nine goals in a stunning display.

He wasn’t alone on the night, with midfielders Blake Acres, Adam Cerra and Patrick Cripps all having over 30 disposals and a goal, while Alex Cincotta celebrating his first win as a Blue in his second game.

Quarter one

Brodie Kemp wasted no time in making on impact for his first game in 2023, taking two telling intercept marks down back inside the opening minute. It proved beneficial for one Blue in particular, as the team went coast-to-coast and Ollie Hollands finished off some hard running through the corridor with his first career goal. A contested mark to Harry McKay - his 21st for the season - directly from the clearance led to the first of his two first-quarter goals, as the Blues’ midfield brigade got to work. Carlton dominated forward territory and found targets inside 50 - kicking scores from 84 per cent of its inside-50 entries - but could only convert five goals from its 11 scoring shots, as Charlie Curnow’s second goal in immediate response to a West Coast major saw the Blues kick out to a 21-point lead. The team’s willingness to share the ball around and bring their teammates into the game was evident, posting a +43 uncontested possession differential at the first break while recording their most marks in a quarter for the year: George Hewett was the chief instigator with 11 disposals.

Quarter two

It was an unlikely goalkicker that got the Blues rolling in the second term, when Nic Newman drifted forward and converted his set shot from just inside 50: it was the defender’s first major since 2019, when he kicked four goals against the same opponent. A telling contested mark from Curnow ended in his third, opening up a 34-point lead: from that moment on, the Eagles opted for a more open forward line, giving the Blues intercept opportunities but also seeing the scoring dry up. After the game against St Kilda saw Carlton lament its slow ball movement, the team’s willingness to move the ball quickly and get through the corridor was evident. Some half chances went begging for the Blues, with Zac Fisher hitting the post while Corey Durdin’s goal-bound snap was touched on the line, preventing the Blues from kicking out to a bigger lead. In his second game, Alex Cincotta proved he belonged at the level with some crucial one-on-one wins, as the Carlton backline held firm while West Coast pressed. Persistence paid off on the counter attack, with some more aggressive ball movement ending in Adam Cerra finding Jack Silvagni for his first.

Quarter three

Hewett started the second half just as he did the first, winning the contest in the middle of the ground to get the ball rolling for the Blues. Curnow - of the Charlie variety - was the main beneficiary in attack, kicking the first two goals of the quarter to take his tally to six for the game. He had Blake Acres to thank for his sixth, with the former Docker enjoying being back at Optus Stadium: gaining possession in the back pocket, Acres stepped through traffic, brushed off two opponents and had four possessions in the same passage of play to turn defence into offence. Despite the two teams drawing level in clearances, it was the Blues’ transition which stood out, mixing methodical ball movement at times with some line-breaking run and carry. The play lived in Carlton’s forward half, conceding just three inside 50s inside the opening 20 minutes of the quarter. Curnow made it seven from long range, before he turned the provider for Acres on the three-quarter-time siren to mark a happy homecoming for the native West Australian.

Quarter four

It was Charlie Curnow watch officially in the final term, when the reigning Coleman Medallist kicked two goals early in the final term to take his tally to nine. After a goal-for-goal middle portion of the quarter, there was another feel-good moment for the Blues five minutes from the end of the game, when Kemp kicked true after a 50-metre penalty for his first goal in senior football. Cripps kicked his first goal of the season, Matthew Kennedy - after being subbed in for Adam Saad as a precautionary measure - converted from a centre clearance and Jack Silvagni snapped truly to put the margin beyond 100 points. With McKay looking for his great mate to notch up his 10th goal, Corey Durdin bobbed up to kick one on the siren, seeing the Blues record their biggest win in 11 years — and the 13th biggest win in their history.

Three things we learned

1. Charlie Curnow. Nine goals. There’s not really much more that can be said, is there?

2. When Carlton’s team was named on Thursday night, there was the expected sense of hype around the returns of Sam Docherty and Adam Saad as known quantities at senior level. What was less known was the impact of Brodie Kemp, who came in for his first game of the season — and just the sixth of his career. Kemp barely put a foot wrong from the opening siren, recording 22 disposals, 13 marks and the first goal of his career.

3. It was the four-quarter performance which had so far eluded the Blues in 2023. Up by 71 points at the final change, the Blues showed no sign of putting the cue in the rack, kicking nine goals in the final quarter to put the home side to the sword. It came off the back of the Blues’ attack at the contest, recording 452 disposals for the game and fighting until the final siren.

WEST COAST       2.3     3.4     3.5           6.8 (44)
CARLTON             5.6     9.8     14.12       23.14 (152)

GOALS
Carlton: C.Curnow 9, Silvagni 3, McKay 2, Acres, Cripps, Durdin, Hollands, Honey, Kemp, Kennedy, Newman

BESTS
Carlton: C.Curnow, Cerra, Acres, Kemp, Cripps, Newman, Hewett